Against Journals
It was a liberating moment when I realized I didn’t have to keep a daily journal. Some people like that. Well and good. I don’t. Too much dull and silly that way.
Instead, I write occasionally for family events, stories, and for God’s dealings with me.
No surprise, then, that Elder Andersen’s talk on Spiritually Defining Moments delighted me. It had the best stories.
I reread is yesterday. There is a section where he talks about recognizing the Spirit and how we can know we are having a spiritually defining moment. Everything he says about recognizing the Spirit is about recognizing spiritual moments, and very worth your while. But how about recognizing spiritually defining moments? Only we can know if a moment is spiritually defining or not, because only we can decide if we will let some experience define us or not. We get to choose.
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September 7, 2020
I recently transitioned from a small notebook diary to a large sketchbook (easier to find and cheaper to buy than most unruled notebooks). The vast full-size pages draw me in and I find myself illuminating details I wouldn’t have mentioned in the old book. Big pages are a big net, and I’m pretty confident I won’t let any subtle moments by.
Bookslinger
September 7, 2020
I use $.50 (back to school sale price) “Composition Notebooks”, the ones with stiff black and white marble-colored covers, 100 sheets/200 pages. 2 per year.
I use a full page per day, even if the only entry is the date.
E.C.
September 7, 2020
I like fake leatherbound journals, plain black, 200 sheets/400 pages; I mostly only write a few lines a day, but I consider it practice writing; I try to include observations, funny moments, descriptions of people, places, and things, etc.
But then, since I’m a writer, I also have like five notebooks/notepads (one for every coat pocket, my backpack, and my satchel) plus a scripture journal. I pity whoever has to sort through it all someday, even if it is somewhat organized.
However, I do understand that not everyone likes to journal, and I suspect that spiritually defining moments will be writ large on our lives and memories at judgment day – no matter whether we ourselves were prolific writers or illiterate.
Momof6
September 7, 2020
I’ve been keeping a journal off and on since I was 11. I keep my collection of used notebooks under my bed so my significant other won’t be completely scandalized by the sheer volume of ink I have spilled. I used to feel bogged down by the responsibility of detailing every tiny little thing that happens, but now I use journaling as a catch-all of spiritual, artistic and literary inspiration.
I make my kids keep a journal as part of their home school. My oldest used to drag his feet but now finds he has lots to say.
I have had great success in using my journals as part of the revelation-seeking process outlined by President Nelson in his GC discourse “Revelation for the Church, Revelation for our lives.”
bruce charlton
September 8, 2020
I write daily notes as a form of meditation/ brainstorming – in which I scribble all kinds of gibberish that is on my mind – and try to work through current problems. What I’m thinking, not what I’ve done. These quite often lead to blog posts – but, although I generally keep the filled volumes (quite copius – maybe 100 pages a month?), I almost-never look back on these; and don’t show them to anyone (not that anyone would be interested, and they are almost illegible).
G.
September 9, 2020
Mine isn’t quite every day and isn’t quite gibberish. But otherwise that’s me.
G.
September 9, 2020
I normally use classic Moleskines but I just found a product called Lemome/Bangma, probably some Chinese thing, which is good quality.
What I really want is one with page numbers. Leuchtturm has that and is better in almost every way except the pages are too thin.
MSTephens
September 20, 2020
I type mine out and every 200 pages or so, I have it printed as a soft-cover through Lulu.com.